Bathing-boat.



F; F. GALLAHER & J. F. BURKE. BATHING BOAT.

APPLICATION FILED nuns, 1906.

Patrited Apr. 20, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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F; F. GALLAHER & J. P. BURKE.

BATHING BOAT.

APPLICATION FILED JULYZB, 190s.

Patented Apr. 20, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES.-

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FRANK F. GALLAHER, OF CAMDEN, AND JOHN FIBIIRKE, OF PALMYRA, NEW JERSEY.

BATHINGV-BOAT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 20, 1909.

tion. I

Our invention has reference to bathing boats, and consists of certain improvements which are fully set forth in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof.

The object of our invention is to provide a suitable construction of boat adapted to be propelled through the water while in a prac tically submerged condition, so that the occupants within the boat are subjected to the action of the water by being drawn through it by means of the traveling boat.

In carrying out our invention, the boat may be provided with valves or gates by which it may be allowed to be filled with water, so that the occupants within the boat are submerged to the shoulders. The boat may either be self-propelled and ca able of just floating with its load, or it may be made to run upon suitable tracks and be propelled by a cable, or otherwise. In the latter case it would not be necessary that the boat should have any floating qualities.

More particularly referring to the construction of our invention, comprehending the self-propelled and floating bathing boat, we form the body with compartments which may be filled with air or cork, so that when the boat containing the occupants has been filled with water, it floats a few inches above the water level, and is non-sinkable. The bow of the boat is provided with an inflow gate having a valve tocontrol the amount of water which may flow into the interior of the boat, and the rear ofthe boat is arranged to constitute-an outflow gate, so that while the boat is propelled forward the water rushes through the interior ofthe boat andagainst the occupants thereof. The boat is, furthermore, ,provided with a protected engine which drives thepropeller and is furnished with a rudder to steer it, so that in effect it is a self-propelled motor boat having means for admitting and discharging water to and from its interior.- We prefer to provide the boat with suitable seats, which are adapted to be raised or lowered, and tilted, so that the occupant may have free capacity for adjusting himself to suit the level of the water within the boat.

In that modification of our invention, in which the boat is not self-propelling, it is not necessary to provide any compartments to give buoyancy, and the boat is rovided with rollers adapted to run upon su merged rails and maybe propelled by a traveling cable of any well known construction. A boat of this character might-be. caused to rise and fall by simply arranging the rails accordingly, but when submerged in the water to the full extent, the latter extends close to the gunwale.

Our invention also includes details of construction, which together with the features above specified,will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a bathing boat embodying our invention; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same; Fig. 3 is a cross section of the same Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a modified form of our bathing boat and Fig. 5 is a cross section of the same. r

. A is the boat, and may be propelled by a propellerf, operated by a gasolene engine F, 01; other suitable motive power arranged in a closed well G, having an u wardly extending tubular part g, through which the attendant may reach the engine when necessary.

G represents a gasolene tank.

The sides of the body may be provided with compartments B filled with cork, or may be simply air chambers, as preferred. Compartments B under the floor may also be filled with cork, if so desired. The compartments B are preferably arranged at the upper part of the sides of the boat, so as to insure the boat remaining right side up. The front of the boat is provided with a metal bow piece C which is perforated to form an in-take gate, through which water asses from the outside to the interior of the oat, and the flow of this water may be regugunwale of the boat, as the boat in practice is submerged almost to the top both inside and outside, and these perforated portions are designed to allow the surface water to freely pass through the boat. When the body of the boat is to be submerged, the water may be admitted in any suitable manner or by any suitable means, but ordinarily the bow or stern may be depressed by the occupants crowding to the corresponding end of the boat, or it may be rocked to take in water over the side.

The occupants may be supported within the boat in any suitable manner, but we prefer to provide specially constructed chair supports so as to insure the load due to the occupants being centrally disposed in the boat. Such chairs are indicated at H, H. These chairs consist of a pedestal J fixed to the floor of the boat. In the pedestal is a vertically movable part J adapted to be raised or lowered by a cam L regulated by a hand lever Z. The seat part J is hinged at K to the part J, and a spring 7c allows the seat to be tilted backward into a reclining position. The foot part is provided with a curved portion it adapted to receive the feet, so as to hold the occupant against falling out of the chair when tilted backward. The part J may be locked to the lever Z by the latter engaging the notches L in the side of the seat, so that whether the seat is in the position shown in Fig. 2, or is tilted backward the lever Z may be pulled back and locked in the notches, so as to hold the seat at any elevation and'at any incline desired. These seats may be made in any other suitable manner; that shown, being well adapted for the pur poses of our invention.

In the form of our invention shown in Figs. 4 and 5, in which the bathing boat rests upon rails P, we form the boat of any suitable construction without regard to buoyancy, and this boat,'as before, is provided at the front or bow with an in-talze gate 0 having a valve D which may be operated by cables d to regulate the amount of water flowing into the body. The rear or stern of the boat is provided with a discharge gate E, as in the case of the floating boat. In this case there is no rudder necessary, nor any propelling means forming part of the boat. 'lhe boat is provided with castings M on its bottom carrying supporting rollers N which run upon the rails P. Small rollers 'a are also ournaled to the castings M and are arranged below the flanges of the rails P, so as to prevent the boat leaving the rails. A traveling power chain R may be provided with a projection 1" adapted to come into contact with the downwardly extending projection O on the bottom of the boat, so that either the parts r, O or chain R propels the boat forward. The interior of the boat is provided with a series of seats or chairs H of the construction herein before described, or

of any other suitable construction found desirable. In either of these forms of our invention, the bather is allowed to rest comfortably and assume such positions as he may desire while the water is caused to rush over him with such force as may be preferred, the force being regulated by the control of the valve D in the case of Fig. 4, and l) in the case of Figs. 1 and 2.

Should it be desired to use the boat as a means for conveying the occupants to a considerable distance before submerging it, the interior of the boat may be emptied of water so that the boat will float high enough not to allow the water to enter by the stern orifices during such conveyance.

A simple way of removing the water would be for the occupants to place their weight on the bow to raise the stern as high as possible and suddenly release the pressure allowing the boat to right itself with only the water which was contained at the bow end. This water may then be removed by bailing or by the use of a small pump driven by the engine, such as ordinarily employed for removing bilge water.

Ne do not restrict ourselves to the details of construction herein described, as it is evident that the shape or form of the boat, and the general operating and regulating means thereof, may be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having now described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by l .etters Patent, is:

1. A bathing boat forn ed of a single buoyant compartment which when loaded is nonsinliable, said boat having valved means at its bow end near the gunwale to control the inflow of water into the upper part of the interior of the boat and also having means at the stern end near the gunnale to enable the water to pass freely from the interior of file boat to the outside thereof, the lower portion of the boat being water-tight and of a capacity to float when. loaded and with. the water level on the outside below the level of the means at bow and stern for inflow and outflow of the water when the boat is empty water level on the outside below the level of the means at bow and stern for in'llo and outflow of the water when the boat is empty its bow end near the gunwale to control the inflow of water into the upper part of the interior of the boat and also having means at the stern end near the gunwale to enable the water to pass freely from the interior of the boat to the outside thereof, the lower portion of the boat being water-tight and of a capacity to float when loaded and with the water level on the outside below the level of the means at bow and stern for inflow and outflow of the water when the boat is empty of water, and supporting chairs arranged within the boat between the inlet and outlet for the water said chairs being provided with means for changing the positionof the occupant whereby he may adapt himself to the level of the water within the boat during traversing the boat, combined with a series A of seats for the occupants below the water level and between inlet and outlet for the water whereby they may be submerged up to the shoulders. V

5. A bathing boat formed of a long single buoyant compartment open at the top throughout its area so as to expose the occupants to wind and waves and-which when loaded is non-sinkable but submerged close to the gunwale, said boat having means below the water level for admitting water at' the bow and permitting it to escape at the stern after traversing the boat, combined with a series of seats for the occupants below the water level and between inlet and outlet for the water whereby they may be submergedup to the shoulders, means for propelling the boat, a motor for operating the propeller arranged in the boat below the water level, a water tight chamber inclosing the motor and extending upwardabove the water level, and means for steering the boat.

6. A bathing boat formed of a single buoyant compartment open at the top throughout its area so as to expose the occupants to wind and waves and which when loaded is non-sinkable but submerges close to the gun- 'wale, said boat having means below the water level for admitting water at the bow and permitting it to escape at the stern after traversing the boat, combined with supporting chairs arranged within the boat between the inlet and outlet for the water, said chairs being provided with means for changing the position of the occupant during the passage of the boat through the water.

7. A bathing boat formed of a long single buoyant compartment open at the top throughout its area so as to expose the occuants to wind and waves and which when oaded is non-sinkable but submerged close to the gunwale, said boat having valve controlled means below the water level for admitting water at the bow and permitting it to escape at the stern after traversing the boat, combined with a series of seats for the occupants below the water level and between inlet and outlet for the water whereby they may be submerged up to the shoulders, and means for operating the valve controlled means extending backward within reach of the occupants of the seats whereby the flow of water through the boat may be regulated by the various occupants without leaving their seats.

In testimony of which invention, we have hereunto set our hands.

FRANK F. GALLAHER. JOHN F. BURKE.

Witnesses:

R. M. HUNTER, R. M. KELLY. 

